Carver Pike - Scalp

“Piece of cake,” Trevor said. “These people are idiots.”

As soon as he took two steps, an overhead light popped on and caused the boy to jump and sprint for the stairs. Robbie froze in place for a second, realizing it was his last chance to turn back and return to his room. They were still on the male floor. Here, he stood no chance of getting in trouble, but once he stepped foot on that staircase, if he got caught, it would be obvious where he was going.

“Come on, man!” Steven whispered loudly. “You’re gonna get us caught.”

Robbie snapped out of it and followed the other boys to the staircase, where they fought to contain their laughter.

“That light scared the shit out of me,” Trevor admitted. “I thought we got busted already.”

“Motion sensor lights,” Steven said. “Fucking figures.”

When they reached the second floor and found the girls’ room, 214, Trevor knocked softly. Desiree answered the door in a pair of silk pajamas. Her pink shorts were really short and outlined with black lace. Her top had spaghetti straps and was the same material. It was clear she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. Robbie shook his head when Trevor froze up with his eyes glued to the girl’s nipples.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

The girls, after a short debate, allowed the boys to enter the room. Robbie sat at a desk chair in the corner. Bianca was on the top bunk looking down at him, smiling. She wore green shorts and a T-shirt designed to look like a Green Bay Packers jersey. As he checked her out, he realized he was still wearing the clothes he’d been in during their project meeting.

What a loser. You couldn’t at least change clothes like the other guys?

In his defense, he hadn’t been given much time.

Trevor and Misty sat side by side on the single bed. Steven sat on the floor with his legs crossed. Desiree didn’t seem interested in him at all.

“So, what now?” Bianca asked.

“What do you mean?” Trevor replied.

“Y’all came all the way up here. For what?”

“To get to know you better, man,” Trevor replied as if it made all the sense in the world.

Bianca scoffed. “You do realize if we get caught with you in our room, we’re screwed, right?”

Bianca was their voice of reason the same way he had tried to be for his group.

“That’s what I said,” Robbie replied.

Bianca smiled at him and Trevor rolled his eyes.

“We could play cards,” Steven suggested, holding up a pack he’d pulled from his pocket.

“I don’t know any card games,” Bianca admitted.

Neither did Robbie. He hadn’t played cards since he was a kid. War and Go-Fish were the only two games he remembered. Again, he found himself thinking this was a horrible idea. He wanted to go back to his room and rest. He’d only tagged along because he thought maybe he’d get somewhere with the pretty blonde on the top bunk, but unless he decided to climb up there with her, he didn’t see that happening.

“Maybe we should go,” Robbie suggested.

Bianca whined, surprising him, and said, “No, don’t go. Not yet. You just got here.”

Trevor grinned. “Thought you wanted us to leave.”

“Well, you’re here now,” Bianca replied.

Trevor winked at Robbie and said, “Truth or dare?”

“I know that one,” Bianca replied.

“Sounds like fun, I guess,” Misty said.

Desiree shrugged her shoulders.

Typical teenagers and their kissing dares. It bothered Robbie for some reason. He’d played this game a ton of times. He’d either be dared to kiss Bianca or to remove some piece of clothing. If he chose truth, he’d be asked if he liked anyone in the room.

He wondered if Nitsy would play a game like this. He figured she probably wouldn’t. She was too good to allow herself to be kissed on a dare. A guy needed to earn it with her.

Why are you thinking about Nitsy when you’re right here in a room with Bianca?

The truth was, Robbie wanted to leave the room. This wasn’t his plan for tonight. He wanted to rest and do well in the competition tomorrow.

If this were a movie, every male member of the audience would throw popcorn at the screen.

He knew this was the lamest way to leave the room, but he couldn’t be in a place, doing things he didn’t want to do, with a girl he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it with. These were the typical teenagers, and he wanted to believe he was something more. Bianca was beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have her, and perhaps he’d still pursue something with her, but if he did, he didn’t want to do it like this.

Risking it for both of them wasn’t a good idea.

“Hey, I’m really sorry, guys,” Robbie announced, “but I’m exhausted, man. Tomorrow’s competition is kind of important, and I want to do well.”

Bianca frowned at him, looking quite sad. Trevor booed him. Steven laughed.

“Will you stay?” Misty asked Trevor. “A little longer?”

“Damn right I will,” Trevor announced.

“Me too,” Steven said.

They could stay and entertain the girls, but Robbie felt good about his decision to leave. Bianca climbed down from the top bunk and met him at the door.

“Sure you don’t want to stay?” she asked.

Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and Robbie thought she was gorgeous. He was doubting himself.

Stay. She wants you, man. Stay and get some.

If he played Truth or Dare, he’d end up making out with her. She seemed fine with that. Any other teenage boy would probably stay and take advantage of the situation, but Robbie felt strange about it, like he needed to go. Nitsy came to mind again. Their conversation at lunch and the way she seemed to be nervous around him. He liked that. He liked her. It was then that he realized why he wanted to leave the room so badly. Because he couldn’t be with Bianca without thinking he was somehow stabbing Nitsy in the back.

But you’re not even dating that girl!

His internal frat boy wanted to punch him in the face for making this decision, but he nodded and said, “Yeah, I want to go back to my room. I’m tired. We have a big day tomorrow. You should get some rest too.”

She frowned and looked over at Misty who was practically sitting on Trevor’s lap. Steven was now sitting next to Desiree on her bottom-bunk bed.

“I don’t see myself getting to sleep anytime soon,” Bianca said. “I could use some company.”

It was so hard telling the girl no, but he did with a shake of his head.

“Robbie,” Bianca said, “you sure are a confusing boy.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “If you can’t sleep, you know where I am.”

He smiled and left the room.

When he closed the door behind him and stepped out into the dark hall, all was silent except the muffled sound of laughter coming from within the room at his back. Robbie never considered himself someone who scared easily, and there really wasn’t much reason to be afraid, but he did feel a sudden sense of dread in the hallway.

With his back to the door, he stood in the darkness and glanced to his right, away from the staircase. He wondered where Nitsy was. She could be in the room right next to him and he would have no idea. She was probably already asleep or reading a book while listening to Mozart. She was that kind of girl. He bet she listened to classical music all the time and read all the books the English teacher tried to force on them like Pride and Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities, and Wuthering Heights.

If teachers would include more books with sports or with… zombies—

His thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound. It was an insect’s chirp. But more like a clickety-clack. He didn’t like it. It didn’t sound natural. It was coming from his right. He peered in that direction once more and thought he saw something at the end of the hall.